Safeguarding Policy
Duchy Opera Trust Limited (“Duchy Opera”) has an open membership and conducts activities and events on hired premises and at other venues. This work involves rehearsals, classes and performances open to the public. Its work involves working with children, young people and vulnerable adults and it has a duty to protect these individuals by providing clear guidelines for our cast, crew, volunteers, unpaid and paid workers.
Policy Statement
This statement protects children, young people and vulnerable adults and in fact all participants in Duchy Opera activities from all forms of abuse:
The purpose of the policy:
Definitions of Child, Young Person and Vulnerable adult:
This policy uses the definition of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults as framed by Cornwall County Council in its Safeguarding Policy for Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults (2012).
Definitions of Child, Young Person and Vulnerable adult:
Duchy Opera ensures that:
Types of Abusive Behaviour
Physical
Physical violence, pulling or touching a person in a harsh and angry manner, physically threatening behaviour.
Emotional
Bullying, angry words, behaviour that undermines the confidence and emotional well being of a person. Threatening behaviour, persistent sarcasm that frightens or weakens an individual.
Sexual
Sexual advances. Initiating sexual contact, whether the child or person is aware or unaware of the actions. Taking part in sexual intercourse whether the child or person is aware of the situation. Encouraging and participating in production of, viewing pornographic material in any form. Encouraging a child/person to behave in a sexually inappropriate way.
Abuse by Neglect
Failure to meet a person’s basic needs to support health and mental well being. Supporting needs for food, shelter, warmth and physical safety. Within this requirement is the need to ensure medical attention if required as advised by parents or guardians.
Designated Safeguarding Person
Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) – Karen Harris
The Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) is designated:
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Changing facilities:
Duchy Opera will aim to allocate changing rooms to protect the rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults wherever the physical constraints of the building or venue allow.
When working with groups of children, young people or vulnerable adults:
If support is required by an appropriate chaperone, this will only be given with prior consent from parents or guardians of the children, young people or vulnerable adults. Changing rooms will only be accessed by the appropriate chaperone of the persons using the changing room.
When individual children and young people are involved with company activities:
Children and young people involved in Duchy Opera activities and their parents/guardians must be informed of the policy on and circumstances of changing arrangements.
If adults and children and/or young people involved in Duchy Opera need to share a changing facility, consent will be sought from the parents/guardians that their child/children can share a changing room with adults.
If children and young people involved in Duchy Opera need to share changing facilities with adults, their parents/guardians should be allowed to supervise them while they are changing.
If children and young people involved in Duchy Opera are uncomfortable changing in public, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. They will be encouraged to do this at home.
If Duchy Opera has disabled participants, it undertakes to involve them and their carers in deciding how, if applicable, they wish to be assisted to change and ensure they provide full consent to any support or assistance required.
Code of Behaviour for Members:
Members should:
Members should not:
How might abuse come to light?
PROCEDURES
If you suspect a participant is at risk
If someone tells you they are being or have been abused
Remind them at the earliest opportunity that you cannot guarantee confidentiality. Explain what this means and that you are under obligation to take this allegation further
If a member is accused of Abusive Action:
What to do
Immediate risk - Speak to your Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person and/or Cornwall Council Safeguarding Team tel 0300 1234 131 - email [email protected]
Take action if you have concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult’s welfare, or if you have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a child - non-action is unacceptable
Duchy Opera Trust Limited (“Duchy Opera”) has an open membership and conducts activities and events on hired premises and at other venues. This work involves rehearsals, classes and performances open to the public. Its work involves working with children, young people and vulnerable adults and it has a duty to protect these individuals by providing clear guidelines for our cast, crew, volunteers, unpaid and paid workers.
Policy Statement
- Duchy Opera recognises and adheres to the requirements of the current legislation for the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Duchy Opera recognises its duty of care to children, young people and vulnerable adults by all its members, whether members, employees, or volunteers both paid and unpaid.
- Duchy Opera will take all allegations of abusive behaviour and/or practice in all forms seriously and will respond to such allegations quickly.
- For the purposes of clarity, activities are defined as all activities related to any form of music and/or operatic rehearsal, educational activity or public performance.
- Nothing in this policy should over-ride the paramount concern, that of protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults. This policy will be used to support the work of the relevant agencies to protect such a group.
This statement protects children, young people and vulnerable adults and in fact all participants in Duchy Opera activities from all forms of abuse:
The purpose of the policy:
- To provide protection for the children, young people and vulnerable adults who are involved with Duchy Opera.
- To provide members of Duchy Opera with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.
Definitions of Child, Young Person and Vulnerable adult:
This policy uses the definition of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults as framed by Cornwall County Council in its Safeguarding Policy for Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults (2012).
Definitions of Child, Young Person and Vulnerable adult:
- Children are defined by the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 as anyone who has not reached their 18th birthday and includes Young Persons who are children who have reached their 16th birthday and who are entitled to the same status, services and protection under these Acts.
- A vulnerable adult is someone aged 18 or over:
- Who is, or may be, in need of community services due to age, illness or a mental or physical disability.
- Who is, or may be, unable to take care of himself/herself, or unable to protect himself/herself against significant harm or exploitation.
Duchy Opera ensures that:
- All members, volunteers, cast and crew are given basic awareness training to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities within this policy.
- Hired premises and other places used by Duchy Opera where activities are run are safe for children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Working practices promote safety for children, young people, vulnerable adults and members.
Types of Abusive Behaviour
Physical
Physical violence, pulling or touching a person in a harsh and angry manner, physically threatening behaviour.
Emotional
Bullying, angry words, behaviour that undermines the confidence and emotional well being of a person. Threatening behaviour, persistent sarcasm that frightens or weakens an individual.
Sexual
Sexual advances. Initiating sexual contact, whether the child or person is aware or unaware of the actions. Taking part in sexual intercourse whether the child or person is aware of the situation. Encouraging and participating in production of, viewing pornographic material in any form. Encouraging a child/person to behave in a sexually inappropriate way.
Abuse by Neglect
Failure to meet a person’s basic needs to support health and mental well being. Supporting needs for food, shelter, warmth and physical safety. Within this requirement is the need to ensure medical attention if required as advised by parents or guardians.
Designated Safeguarding Person
Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) – Karen Harris
The Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) is designated:
- To act as the first point of contact for anyone concerned about the safety and welfare of a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
- To be responsible for contacting the relevant Social Care Department in cases where a child, young person or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm.
- To be familiar with local Social Care and Safeguarding procedures.
- To ensure that all members are familiar with child, young person and vulnerable adult safeguarding policies and procedures.
- To advise and provide guidance to members concerned about a child, young person or vulnerable adult protection issue.
- To liaise with appropriate local agencies for support and advice and keep a list of local contacts.
- To organise training about how to respond to child, young person and vulnerable adult protection concerns.
- To collect monitoring data on all safeguarding activities.
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
- Care must be taken to ensure that both adult's and children’s confidentiality is maintained and that information is handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only. Individuals must be confident that information held about them by Duchy Opera will only be disclosed to others either with their consent or when there is a legal duty to do so.
- Guidance allows for the disclosure of personal information without consent of the subject in certain conditions, including for the purposes of the prevention and detection of a crime, for example where there is a child protection concern.
Changing facilities:
Duchy Opera will aim to allocate changing rooms to protect the rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults wherever the physical constraints of the building or venue allow.
When working with groups of children, young people or vulnerable adults:
If support is required by an appropriate chaperone, this will only be given with prior consent from parents or guardians of the children, young people or vulnerable adults. Changing rooms will only be accessed by the appropriate chaperone of the persons using the changing room.
When individual children and young people are involved with company activities:
Children and young people involved in Duchy Opera activities and their parents/guardians must be informed of the policy on and circumstances of changing arrangements.
If adults and children and/or young people involved in Duchy Opera need to share a changing facility, consent will be sought from the parents/guardians that their child/children can share a changing room with adults.
If children and young people involved in Duchy Opera need to share changing facilities with adults, their parents/guardians should be allowed to supervise them while they are changing.
If children and young people involved in Duchy Opera are uncomfortable changing in public, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. They will be encouraged to do this at home.
If Duchy Opera has disabled participants, it undertakes to involve them and their carers in deciding how, if applicable, they wish to be assisted to change and ensure they provide full consent to any support or assistance required.
Code of Behaviour for Members:
Members should:
- Put the welfare of a child, young person or vulnerable adult, and their enjoyment of the activities, first.
- Act as a positive role model.
- Recognise the developmental needs of a participant, whether child, young person or adult.
- Set and monitor appropriate boundaries and relationships when working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, based on openness, honesty and respect for their personal space.
- Plan activities that avoid members working in isolation with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Create and maintain a safe and caring environment that enables children, young people and vulnerable adults to raise concerns about attitudes or behaviour they do not like.
- Challenge activities which do not promote the above.
- Take action if they have concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult’s welfare, or if they have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a child - non-action is unacceptable.
- Ensure physical contact does not occur without the prior consent of a parent or guardian.
- Challenge inappropriate behaviour from a child, young person or vulnerable adult (e.g. attention seeking, following a member/cast member around, a perceived crush on a member or cast member) in a sensitive manner.
Members should not:
- Engage in flirtatious behaviour, innuendo or suggestive terms, gestures or indicate such.
- Dismiss an allegation.
- Offer lifts in a vehicle home, or to the venue to children, young people or vulnerable adults without prior agreement with parents/guardians and only when accompanied by another member of Duchy Opera.
- Delay or cover up the reporting of an allegation.
- Spend excessive time with one participant more than or away from other participants.
How might abuse come to light?
- Someone discloses abuse.
- Notice physical indicators of abuse.
PROCEDURES
If you suspect a participant is at risk
- Record the facts, as you know them.
- Alert the Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person.
- Alert the Duchy Opera Chair if no effective action is taken.
If someone tells you they are being or have been abused
Remind them at the earliest opportunity that you cannot guarantee confidentiality. Explain what this means and that you are under obligation to take this allegation further
- Stay calm and listen.
- Be objective.
- Empathise, take them seriously, offer support and keep them safe if necessary.
- Make a written record of what you have been told, note the time and date.
- Preserve any evidence.
- Alert the Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person.
- Contact local child protection authorities or local police for a vulnerable adult and report the details to them. Do not make any investigations yourself; involve the relevant authorities and share the facts that you have recorded.
If a member is accused of Abusive Action:
- The member should make notes of all actions/ contacts with the child, young person or vulnerable adult.
- Report allegations to the Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person, immediately and factually.
- Report allegations to the Duchy Opera Chair if no effective action is taken.
- The member should cease any contact with the child, young person or vulnerable adult to avoid further allegations.
- Review procedures to ensure that they are being followed correctly.
- Seek professional and legal advice.
What to do
Immediate risk - Speak to your Duchy Opera Designated Safeguarding Person and/or Cornwall Council Safeguarding Team tel 0300 1234 131 - email [email protected]
Take action if you have concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult’s welfare, or if you have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a child - non-action is unacceptable
